<div>I noticed the first lump in my neck in August 2024, when I was 4 months pregnant with our second daughter. I immediately called my doctor and was told it was likely a swollen lymph node doing what it’s supposed to do—swelling when my body has a cold/flu virus. I also noticed at every OB appointment I had, I was continuing to lose weight rather than gaining weight like in my first pregnancy. I began noticing a full-body excruciating aching pain from my head to my toes no matter what I did. As these symptoms progressed, I kept pushing for a different answer from my doctors. I went to the ER more than once to try to get help and kept being told the same thing—“Pregnancy is different for everyone, this one is just harder for you.” I was even told once when I called ahead to the ER, “I’ll be honest—no one is going to help you here. We are too busy and you’re just pregnant.”
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<div>I wasn’t just pregnant. <strong>I had cancer.</strong>
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<div>By December, doctors were finally listening to me and considering something else was happening. I was told it was either cancer or some type of infectious disease. I was tested for over 200 infectious diseases before cancer was the only thing left on the table. The number of masses in my neck increased, and the tests that needed to be done couldn’t be while I was pregnant.
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<div>On December 23rd, I delivered our daughter 4 weeks early via c-section. On December 24th, I had my first CT scan with contrast. On the morning of December 25th, I was told I needed urgent surgery to biopsy one of the masses. On December 26th, I was told it was definitely cancer, but they didn’t know what type or what the treatment plan was. On January 2nd, I was officially diagnosed with Stage 4 Classic Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
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<div>My thoracic cavity was completely filled with tumors (about 13), the largest being the size of a giant orange that was wrapping around my heart and was so large it shifted my windpipe to the left. With this type of cancer, you become classified as stage 4 when it spreads to another organ. In my case, the cancer spread from my lymph nodes to my right lung. I was started on a very aggressive chemo treatment plan on January 14th.
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<div>The good news: while this type of cancer is highly aggressive, it’s also HIGHLY treatable. Finding the good in this type of situation can sometimes be difficult, but I am so THANKFUL for the type of cancer I have.
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<div>We have had an absolutely unbelievable support system around us. Parents, siblings, family, friends, church family, and support groups have been immeasurably helpful to us. We have been kept fed, house clean, babies taken care of, and so much more. We could never thank you enough.
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<div>We are finding a new need that’s very hard to ask for. Anyone who has fought cancer or had a loved one fight cancer knows that paying the bills off will likely never happen. But we want to do our best. We don’t have typical insurance and have relied on a Christian health sharing ministry that has been so helpful, but there are definitely gaps to fill. We firmly believe that God will make a way and provide for us the way he He has so clearly already.
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<div><strong>Every dollar donated will go directly to our medical bills incurred by chemotherapy, ER visits, injections, doctor visits here in Redding and at Stanford, PET scans, endless blood draws, and more.</strong>
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<div>We would also like to ask for the specific prayer request that when treatment is over (June 24th), the end of treatment scan would show no evidence of disease and that further treatment (radiation and stem cell transplant) would not be needed. Full healing in Jesus’ name.
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<div>This has been an earth shattering reality that I never would’ve been able to imagine before it happened. God has been so good to us through it all and that’s been fully displayed by the love given to us by our community.
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<div>We will keep you updated here as much as possible. We love you and thank you so much for your prayerful consideration.
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Alisa Kowalski

Anonymous

Eli Spooner

Michelle & Nate Sletner

Odell Craft BBQ

Melissa Freilich

Arin Resnicke

Robert Henslin

Tate Henderson

Jessica Neves

Kim Pearson

Vinodhini Raveendran

Alenoosh M Der-mardroosian

Cori Meeink

Ashley Green

Britany Clark

Katie Camerer

Katie Janiszewski

Korri’s Journey: Fighting Stage 4 Cancer

Korri’s Journey: Fighting Stage 4 Cancer

Still $5,030 to go. Help us build momentum.